“LeBron James is without question, better than Kobe Bryant!”: When Jerry West made an insanely bold take about the then Lakers and Cavaliers stars

Jerry West once revealed who he thought to be the better player between LeBron James and Kobe Bryant in 2009

 

Kobe Bryant vs LeBron James. Back in the day, this matchup had people literally salivating. And frankly, it was completely justified as well.

A pure scorer who can virtually any shot, going up against an all-rounded player with generational athleticism? That description sounds amazing, but it doesn’t even begin to describe just how incredible their battles were.

At the time, the NBA community was torn between who the better player was between the two. Though it must be mentioned that the majority was leaning towards Kobe.

So, when Jerry West got on national television, it was supposed to be something that ends the debate completely. And let’s just say, the man made some headlines the next day.

Let’s get into it.

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“Well to me, it’s a no brainer”: Jerry West picked the less popular option between Kobe Bryant and LeBron James on national television

Jerry West has always been a daring man. After all, how do you justify trading for a high-schooler in the NBA Draft, over other prospects that may have seemed more polished?

Given that personality of his, the NBA legend isn’t afraid to make bold takes. And in 2009, he decided to add a pretty massive one on his list, live television. Take a look at the YouTube clip below.

Well damn!

To say this in 2009, during LeBron James’s first stint in Cleveland, and during the year Kobe Bryant won his first championship without Shaq… wow this man has guts.

But, when it comes to the all-time conversation, it seems Jerry West was more right than anybody had ever expected.

What a prediction.

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